Archaeologists Astonished by Discovery of Ancient Child Graves in Southern Norway Researchers have uncovered 41 graves at this site, each marked by a flat stone circle, including some graves that still contain cremated remains.
Each grave is marked by meticulously arranged stone circles, discovered by a team from the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History near Fredrikstad, approximately 80 kilometers south of Oslo, close to the Swedish border.
An aerial view showing many concentric stone circles marking the graves. (Photo source: Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo).
Archaeologist Guro Fossum from the museum told Science Norway: “They were here like a secret until we found them. We discovered each one and ended up with 41 round stone formations.”
Some circles are arranged around a large central stone, and further investigations have revealed burned bones and pottery fragments beneath these stones.
Currently, new analysis shows that most of the graves contain the remains of children who died between 800 and 200 BC. Many of the children were infants, with others ranging from 3 to 6 years old.
Fossum noted: “The research results indicate that this burial site was used for a long time, so it is unlikely that all of them died in the same natural disaster or disease outbreak.”
Unique Ancient Child Graves in Europe
According to the museum’s statement, the concentration of such ancient child graves is unique in Europe. The area surrounding the cemetery features numerous rock carvings depicting journeys and sun worship rituals. Experts point out that infant mortality rates may have been high at that time, but they have no explanation for these child graves.
“Analyzing the pottery fragments could tell us a lot,” Fossum said. “It seems that not all the jars contained burned bones; some were placed among the graves, and we are very curious about what is inside them.”
Fossum explained that during the Nordic Bronze and Iron Ages, it was common to cremate the deceased on a pyre and bury or scatter any remaining bones. She stated that afterward, a flat stone layer in a spiral or wheel shape was typically constructed at the cremation site. However, the burial site in Fredrikstad is quite unusual.
“The graves are located very close to each other. They must have been in an open landscape, with nearby pathways. Cooking pits and hearths around this site indicate that gatherings and rituals were held related to the burials,” Fossum said.
Additionally, the graves were crafted with great care. Each stone was sourced from a different location and placed precisely in its intended position. It turns out that most of the deceased were children, making the burial process very meticulous.
